We become what we eat!

SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY & BLOOD OF CHRISTJune 22, 2014Jn 6:51-58

We, Christians, possess an immense treasure in the Eucharist. Jesus, the Bread of Life, gives us a gift--- his very own body and blood--- truly present in the Eucharist. No wonder then that for us Catholics, the Eucharist is the “source and summit of Christian life.” Bread is the most basic staple food. Jesus, in giving himself in the lowly form of bread, comes to us in the most basic of all human need--- food-- invites us to feed on him and be nourished. Any food that we eat is assimilated into us and becomes a part of us. We are what we eat. Eat unhealthy food and our bodies become unhealthy. Likewise, healthy food brings us good health. We become what we eat. Whenever we are nourished by the Eucharist, we hopefully become like Jesus. Not only do we assimilate Jesus in us but more significantly, we are assimilated into Jesus—we live in the heart of Jesus. In asking us to feed on him, Jesus invites us to communion with him, a deep intimacy as we can imagine and perhaps, even more than what we desire. In the Eucharist we discover who we are--- that we are a Eucharistic people belonging to Jesus. Jesus gives us His Body and Blood so that He might live in us and we in him, and so that we, then, might become life-giving for the world. As the Eucharist is a “thanksgiving,” so our lives ought to reflect this “thanksgiving.” Communion with Christ ought to lead us to communion with others. As we are blessed by the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist so are we to make the presence of Christ real to others. The challenge then for us is do we let the Eucharist shape who and what we are and how we act? How do we deal with the hunger and thirst of our neighbors--- physically, psychologically and spiritually? The Eucharist is not just to be worshiped and adored, let us be nourished and strengthened by it. Pope Francis says the Eucharist "is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak." As we are pilgrims on this earth, Jesus’ body and blood is our food for the journey.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for your gift of body and blood. I ask forgiveness for the times that I did not allow the Eucharist to transform me. Renew me with your body and blood, and heal my brokenness to make me whole again. Grant me the grace to be a “eucharist” for others. Amen